Compound duplex differential



Sept. 23, 1930. w. R. BREWER 1,776,677

COMPOUND DUPLEX DIFFERENTIAL Filed Aug. l5. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 t 'l l l 'll ll l l 'l l gnam/do@ attenua Sept; 23, 1930. w. R. BREWER COMPOUND DUPLEX DIFFERENTIAL 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fi1ed- Aug. 15. 1927 @Moz nu,

sept. z3, :1930,

Filed Aug. 15, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 emma Sept. 23, 1930.. A w. R. BREWER I 1,776,577

l COMPOUND DUPLEX DIFFERENTIAL I Filed Aug. 15, 192'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Y www@ PatentedSept. 23, 1930 nun*EDA STATES 1 WILLIAM E. BREWER, 0F DULUTH, MINNESOTA GQMPOUND BUPLEX DIFFERENTIAL Application filed August 15, 1927. SerialNo. 212,855.

l Mylinventionrelates to compound duplex differential 'for vehicles and which is particu- `larly adapted to automobiles wherein it is designedto operate the driving axles' of a 5 motor vehicle in an efii'cient manner.

rfi feature of the invention resides in means oproviding a differential drive having a baiance Vso that the driving force is equally applied 'ateither side ofthe axis of the drivanrd* balance thedriving force in the differential 'providing an even wear on the parts Vand practically overcoming the back lashing Y! action which is ordinarily apparent in difterent drives for' motor vehicles. Y

The invention further includes the particu-V lar means of associating theparts together in a simple, practical manner so that the parts may be readily replaced and adjusted to permit theinto operate most efficiently.

My invention includes a differential having a.. pair of driving gear members oppositely` disposed centrally within the differential and connected with the driving shafts in a manner to drive the same through connecting gears operating from a countershaft which connects with the .gears by driving pinions. The countershaft is adapted to 'be operated by the driving shaft of the motor vehicle and has spaced apart `bearings within the differential casing,` thus providing a very strong and substantral construction inrny differential. g

These. features, together with other details' and objects of' theinvention and the peculiar arrangement of the parts will be more clearly and fully set Yforth in the specification claims'. i

In theV drawings forming part of my speci- 'catiofn Figure 1 is a plan. view of :my compound du *lex differential.

`igure 2 is a side view on the line 2-2 of l Figure 1:.

Figure 3 is a central cross section illustrating a sidel elevation of my differential on the line 3;-3 of Figure 1.

Fgure f1 is a back view of shc'rwing `the back plate. of the differential casingv removed. Y. i y Y My difirentiahl; 'is adaptedto be coniirg axiesand in such amanner as to equalize my differential tainedvin the casing or housing B whichis illustrated `in the drawings asof an ordinary banjo type of casing or housing. I have illus-V trated in the drawings my differential A.- adapted, and Vapplied to the driving axles within the ordinary banjotypeotcasing andV liousingto show the simple manner in which` type. y

My diiierential A is provided with the usual yoke member 10' which carries the-*differentialpinions 11V and which is kcentrally positioned within the housing Bbetween the endsof the drive shafts 12'. i The pinionsllareadaptedto'inesh with the gears 13 which are keyed to the slotted end 140i the shafts 12. A rllhis is ofA ordinary constructioniand the members of'tlieyolie 10 fit together in a inanner to hold the pinions 11 in position toy vmesh with thefgears 13. The outer end of the yoke 10 extending over the shaftlQis adapted to besupported by the ball-bearing journals-15. My diHerential-A is provided with a pair ofv driving ring gears 16 and 17 which are adapted' to be connected to the respective parts" off1V the yoke lO'by suitable bolts such as 18,1 illustratedV in Figure 2. Obviously the yolreilQf divided` centrallyas illustrated in the tackfview reiniger@ rse-that the panse-f the same canbefittedtogether to contain and` support thepiniondifterential gears 11. The

the saniecan 'be "adapted in a housing of thisY Y gearlo isxattached to one side" of the yoke 10 white the gear 17 is attached to theother side, i andjthese gears are disposed with their gear* faces eppositely to'each other and with the backs of the gears towardeach other. i

rlhe ballebearingjournals 15 are adapted to be supported by suitable brace members 2O td i the inner surface of the housing B and by-v thesleleton fraine'l which extends upward', from the bottom "of thecasing B. The skeleton supIoitingy frame 21 extends on either back of the same.

secured on the front of the banjo housing B and the cover member 25 being secured on thi` These cover members are held by suitable bolts 26 in the ordinary manner;

The supporting frame 21 is adapted to receive a countershaft 27 which extends through the cover member 211 and which is adapted to be connected with the driving shaft of a motor vehicle in the ordinary and Well known manner by a universal joint, which is not illustrated in the drawings, the countershaft 27 'being justbroken away at the front. The countershaft 27 extends be low and between the gears 16 and 17 and to a position Vwithinthe back cover 25.v I provide suitable ball-bearings 28 supported by the frame 21 which are adapted to form suitable bearings for the shaft 27 so that'the same may be operatedfreely in the supporting frame 21.

The countershaft 27 is provided with driving gears 29 and 30 which mesh with the gears 31 and 32. The gears 31 and 32are adapted to be positioned at an angle from the driving gears 29 and 30 and the shaft 27, the gear 31 beingpositioned on one side of the shaft 27, while the gear 32 is positioned on the other side of the shaft as is illustrated in Figure 1. The supporting frame 21 is formed with an integral lupwardly extending portion 33 on each end, one portion 33 extending to one side of the shaft 27 at one end, and the other upwardly extending portion 33 extending to the opposite side of the shaft 27. Thus the portions 33 form a support and balance for the shafts ofthe gears 31 and 32. I provide a suitable cover member 34 for the portion 33 of the frame 21 which is adapted to be held by the bolts 35 to hold the ends of the shaft 27 and to hold and inclose the gears 29 and 30 and 31 and 32. Figure 2 shows the relative side view of the ends 33 projecting upwardly from the frame 21 and the cover 34, while Figure 4 shows the end view of the frame 21 and the upwardly projecting portion 33 with the cover 34', the frame 21 being formed of a Ycastingof a peculiar shape and nature to provide the'projecting portion 33 which extends to either side of the shaft 27. Thus the gears 31 and 33 are held opposite from the countershaft 27 and are adapted to drive the pinions 36 and 37, the pinion 36 meshing with the gear 17, while the pinion 37 meshes with the gea-r 16. The countershaft 27 is aperated as described by the drive shaft of the motor ve- 'hicle and is adapted to operate the ygears 29 and 30 which inturn nrotate the gears 31 and 32, driving the pinions 36 and 37 to drive the gears 16 and 17 on the opposite sides of the yoke 10 and oppositely disposed to the longitudinal center of the drive shafts 12. In this manner the power from thedriving shaft of the Vmotor vehicle is transmittedthrough the counter driving shaft 27 and is equally dis- `:tribuubed on either side of the differential yoke 10through the pinions 36 and 37, and byI means of the double or compound driving gears 16 and 17 the strain is equally distributed or balanced on either side of the drive shafts 12 and on both sides of the differential yoke 10 which carries the di erential pinions 11 and the driving gears 13. 4

The contact of the pinions 36 and 37 with the ring gears 17 and 16, respectively, is at a point below the center or axis of the gears 16 and 17 and these intermeshing gears may be spirally cut so as to provide gear connections which are adapted to practically overcome the backlashing in the operation of the gears, and this is also materially effected by the doubie or compound duplex differential means in driving the shafts 12 through the countershaft 27 and the offset driving pinions 36y and 37.

lVhen the back cover-25 is removed from the casing B, the relative position of the parts ilius'brated in Figure fi. 1 have illustrated my duplex differential adapted to be inserted in the ordinary banjo type casing or housing B and showing a simple and effective manner in positioning the same therein without making any material changes in the casing B. rthe housingB rigidly supports the differential it. in position .and the cover members 211 and 25 are adapted to assist in supporting the counter-shaft of the same with the` parts adjustable to eachl other and removable so that they can be readily replaced if it is desired.

lily differential A is designed to distribute the load or driving force from the countershaft 27 to either side of thev differential yoke 10 and the shafts 12, providing a compound duplex differential inr which Athe load from the drive shaft 27 is equally distrib-v uted on each side of the differential gearing proper, balancing the force being directed to the drive shafts 12. The driveA shafts 12 are the ordinary az-:le shafts which drive the driv ing wheels of a motor vehicle and/only a portion of the Ysame are illustrated in the drawings.r lBy distributing .the driving force to each side of the differential gearing in the yoke 10, I provide a means of equally balancing the parts of the differential A and in this manner together with the position of the drivi ing pinions in relation to `the driving gears 16 and 17, I practically overcomethe backlashingV and `other disadvantages where the strain of the driving force is directed to one side of the differential and to one side of the drive shafts 12, thus eliminating wear and strain on the parts at a single point and equally distributing the same to the respective sides of the differential.

The drawings illustrate the dilerential A with the countershaft 27 extendingalong be` low the same, however, it is obvious that the position ofthe countershaft may be varied providing the principle of distributing the load to eitherside of the axis of the differenlil tial accomplishes a means of driving a'vehicle with a divided axle such as 12 wherein the driving force is applied in a manner to be equally balanced and to overcome undesirable wear, and at the same time permitting a greater torque to be applied which is a very material advantage, particularly with high powered motor vehicle engines having a quick pickup and action which naturally throws a very heavy torque on the differential of the motor vehicie. The peculiar construction of my (lider-ential with a long driving countershaft member having bearings spaced apart in a manner to provide a rigidity of a desirble nature adds a material advantage in tne operation of my, differential.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described the principles of operation of my compound duplex dierential and While l `have illustrated a particular arrangement and construction of parts, I desire to have it understood that the same is only suggestive of a means of carrying out my invention and that such construction and parts may be varied within the scope of the following claims without departing from `the spirit of my invention.

l claim:

l. A differential including, differential gearing, a yoke for containing said gearing, gears secured to opposite sides of said yoke, and means to apply the drive force to each of said gears on opposite sides of a plane through the differential center and perpendicular to the drive shaft.

2. A dierential including, differential gearing having a pair of driving gears adapted to be interposed in and connected with a driving axle, countershaft means, gearing spaced apart along the axis of said countern shaft, means disposed on opposite sides of said differ-ential gearing along the axis of the same to apply the driving force from said countershaft to each of said driving gears of said differential gearing.

3. A differential comprising, a differential gearing, a yoke for supporting said dideren tial gearing, a pair of driving gears having their working faces oppositely disposed cai ried by said yoke, and means positioned on the opposite sides of the axis of said differential gearing adapted toengage said driving gears carried by said yoke at a point to one side of theraxis of said Ydifferential gearing.

differential for a motor vehicle in cluding, a casing, a differential gearing sup-V ported within said casing, a yoke for supporting said differential gearing, a pair of gears carried by said yoke with the working faces thereof extending outward from the center of said yoke and on either side thereof, a countershaft supported in said casing,

` anda series of gears connecting said counter shaft with said Jair of Qears carried lo` 1 said T yoke at points diagonally opposite and on i differential to4 eachother, drivingLpfiii-frions for said, ring positionedtoone side of the axisof said ars,fa `counte-i'slraft, means/forcenneotirrg said co-untershaft with said pinions todrive said ring gears. i

d llhdifferential for' a naoter'veliicle, driving. axles positioned concentric in saiddifferd ential, differential gearingl Airlterposed between tlie inner ends of said axle, a` divided housing for inclosing and" supporti-ng -4 said differential gearing, a pair ofgears connected Aside of said liou'sing, a countershaft g `betirveen said gears andto onerside ofv the axis of' the same,and gear and pini-on means connecting sai-df` countershaft at points' diagonally opposite to said gearson said sup` porting lio-using. 4 l

7. A differential including, means adapted to providedijerential gearing for a driving; axle,` driving,gearjrneanshaving a pai-r "of" driving faces, apair 'of `pinions adapted to connect with said driving faces at points to one side of a plane through the axle shafts parallel to the counter shaft, a countershaft, and gear means connecting said countershaft with said pinions;

8. Adiiferential including, means for driving the same on either side of the axis thereof and at points offset from one another along said axis and extending in a plane to one side of the center of the diiferential.

9. A differential including, differential gearing, and duplex means for driving said differential gearing at points offset from one another along the drive shaft and extending ina plane to one side of the center of the differential.

l0. A differential including, differential gearing, driving gears for operating said gearing, and means for driving said di'erential gearing adapted to engage said drive gearing at points odset from one another along the axis of said dilferential gearing on opposite sides of the same and radially less than 180 degrees apart on said driving gears.

l1. A differential comprising, differential gearing interposed inthe drive axle of a motor vehicle, a yoke for housing and supporting said differential gearing, a pair of driving gears having their working faces oppositely disposed carried by said yoke, a countershaft extending between said gears, driving gears carried by said countershaft, gears meshing with said gears on said counter driveshaft, and pinions operated by said ist gears ina manner to engage Yon the Working faes of said driving gears carried by said yo e. Y l e 12. A differential including, av .duplex 5 driving means comprising a countershaft, a pair of pinions upon vopposite sides of the differential gearing lconnecting said countershaft to operate said pair of pinions, and a pair of drive gears carried by the differm ential gearing meshing with said pinions, said pinions extending in a plane to one side of the geometric center of said diiierential and on opposite sides of a plane through the differential center and perpendicular to the M counter shaft. -1

13. A dierential including, a diiierential gearing and means for applying power at either side of the longitudinal axis of the driving axle of said differential gearing and 20 at either side of the axis of said dierential gearing, said means extending in a plane to one side of the center of said diiiferential.

14. A diiizerential including, diierential gearing axially disposed in the driving axle 2,5 of a motor vehicle, a pair of gear members carried by said differential on either side thereof, and countershaft and gear means adapted to engage said pair of gears on sides opposite t0 each other in a relation to the 30 horizontal and vertical axis thereof.

WILLIAM VR. BREWER. 

